Episode 14-Danger is Lurking (Part 3)
(Back to Joseph...)
[Location: 5th Pd. Irk History]
Why they even bothered teaching them Irken History was beyond him.
On Earth humans believed history was there to prevent the people from making past mistakes all over again, but Irkens were different. If there was something about their history they didn't like, for example, like a time where they didn't win against someone; they would just claim the battle never took place and deny every part of it.
Such denial made their history books unreliable, but Joseph knew that as a human, he was not supposed to know these things. The Irken's lied about their history to them so they could look good, and unbeatable; but in reality the Irken Empire had gotten their butts, kicked before. It wasn't impossible, they just wanted them to think so. However, for the sake of his grade, Joseph wrote down the lies that had been fed to him onto his worksheet.
His teacher, Mr. Kizo walked up, and down the aisle of desk making sure everyone kept their eyes on their own paper. He was pretty short in Irken standers, with strongly gray eyes, and dark green skin. He wore the standard uniform for all male instructors at the school. An Irken Military uniform, in gold coloring, the females were white.
The students also had uniforms, Boys in navy blue, girls in soft pink, Boys were shirt vest with dress pants, while girls wear blouses and skirts. Cadets, and humans dressed alike, it hadn't been this way before Joseph was arrested, but perhaps the death sentences had enforced stricter rules.
"Now I will call role, and you will voice your presence loudly." Mr. Kizo hissed, "If I call someone who is not here, I want to hear nothing but silence! Do I make myself clear?"
A collection of yes, sirs filled the room.
"Good Now let's get started, Amy?" Mr. Kizo asked.
"Here." Amy stated simply.
"Good, Conner?"
"Here Sir." Conner answered.
"Excellent! Crystal?" Mr. Kizo asked.
Not a word.
"Crystal Patterson?" Mr. Kizo spoke louder, than stopped. "Wait isn't that the blind girl that caused all that fuss with the resistance?" he asked. "Yes, I believe it was, Irk I thought I had her name removed."
Joseph squirmed in his seat, uncomfortably Crystal, also known as the Blind Bandit, was now a member of the resistance, but she wasn't always. There was a time when she was a part of the underground. A group of people who lived in the sewers, hiding from the Irken law, refusing to become a part of the Irken machine. Sadly, these people usually were captured and sold as slaves, some served as minions on Zec, while others were sold across the cosmos.
Crystal, had entrusted herself in their safety but before that, she became the Blind Bandit, a Ninja of the night rescuing those captured by the slave traders. However, she longed to do more, to save the human race for the grip of the Irken Empire. So, she left the underground in search of the Renegades, and enrolled herself in this very school in hopes of finding them.
And she did, unfortunately she hadn't come alone! Crystal had stumbled upon a secret of the enemy, something the tallest didn't want to get out. In a hidden factory Irken scientist were experimenting a form of mind control on humans, and with Crystal's help they managed to put a stop to it. However, the Irken's had downloaded her DNA into the tracking protocol of every spy drone on the planet. And even though she was given a communicator with the ability to cancel out the spy drones tracking protocol the Renegades had decided it was best for her to stay hidden.
So, she did, by remaining with in the underwater dome, Crystal was free from her days of running, but it came with a price. She could never leave the safety of the dome, so she was stuck there, alone, waiting for the heat to die down so the others could rejoin her for a much-needed meeting.
A meeting about Tak, and Goalit, the ancients, and more importantly their next move. Joseph hadn't seen Crystal last week when he and Dib had their meeting with Tak, and Goalit. Of course, it was possible that she had already turned in for the night, but still he felt uneasy leaving her there alone. Not because he didn't trust her, but because he feared for her safety, as well as the safety of all their involvement in the resistance if an enemy were to locate, and steal files from the dome. Everyone would be at risk, and Joseph feared one blind girl, no matter how impressive she might be; would be no match for a team of well-trained Irken soldiers.
However, he had no control over that, he had to trust her, especially now.
"Joseph?" Mr. Kizo shouted, pulling him from his thoughts.
"Here sir." Joseph answered.
"Good, I trust you are caught up with the rest of us?" Mr. Kizo asked.
"Yes Sir." Joseph assured him.
"Very good, all of you continue your work, I am going to go get this wretched name off my attendance list for good!" Mr. Kizo hissed.
Joseph flinched at his words, and a since of pride flooded within him. He suddenly felt the urge to defend one of his own but bit his tongue. He had just gotten back after all and could not afford to make trouble.
Not that making trouble was in Joseph Campbell's nature, no Joseph was supposed to be the well-mannered one.
Supposed to be, being the key words there, however, it was simple for him to regain his composure, the beast within seemed more lenient since he had learn of the Ancestors and their blessing. However, he did have one fear. He was labeled as a defective, did they know this? And if not would they retract their blessing if they found out? He sure hoped not, he needed them to bless him, so he could get his people back down the right path.
'What if I'm not the right person for the job?' he thought. 'Will I have the will to step down? Will one of the Ancients become the Tallest instead?' These were questions that haunted his mind, and he could not find a way to honestly answer them. He pretended to be strong, but did he really have the strength necessary to put his own ideas, dreams, and emotions aside, and think of his people alone. He talked a good game, but was he really prepared to leave it all behind? Could he really leave Earth? Could he really leave Gaz?
He knew some day he'd have to; their love was not meant to be; but would he have the strength to break her heart. To tell her to find another, or die alone, just the thought of what he had to do made him sick. He wondered what she was doing now, did she miss him? Did she think of him as much as he thought of her?
Joseph looked up out the window towards Zec, thinking of the one he loved, and wondering if their love really had a chance at all.
Were they meant to be? Or were they simply doomed from the start?
(Back to Gaz)
[Location: Zec, room 1235]
Gaz hissed as she scratched at the Irken insignia on her arm once more, it felt like the symbol had been engraved in her skin, and the result was an unbearable itch that consumed her. She felt as if she could think of nothing else, but the constant urge to scratch. The mark seemed to do it on purpose too, as if to constantly remind her of her treachery against the human race.
'Only traitors become minions.' Gaz pushed the thought away, and forced herself to stop, and picked up her pencil again, she was in her own room now, but it was still like a cage to her.
Sure, it was big, and open with a large TV, and bed, decorated with her favorite colors, black, and purple, but the door was still locked from the outside. She was still stuck here in this place. Tak had assured her that all she had to do was prove her loyalty to the Tallest and she would be free to roam as she pleased. And she had assured her that their plan against the Tallest would do just that.
She would earn their trust in time, but it would come at a terrible price. Gaz winced, could she do it? Would she be strong enough to do the unspeakable? 'What will they think of me?' She asked. 'And Zim? What will he do when he realizes his efforts to rescue me will be all for nothing? Will he simply give up?' A tear rolled down her cheek, at the thought. 'Will he come to hate me, will he believe my lies, or will our love stay strong?'
Was it even real love?
Could they even love?
After all she was a human girl, and he was an Alien male who was at least a century and a half older than she. Was it too ridiculous to think that their love would survive this war? Wouldn't it be better to stop this now while they were ahead?
This wasn't the first time she was plagued by these thoughts. She was not stupid; she could see the truth as plain as day. And the truth was simple, one day she would leave Zim. Sure, they might find a way to stay together, he could let his people leave him here, behind; pretend to be human for the rest of her days, but the truth still remained.
One day she would die, she and all of Zim's other human friends would leave this world; they would leave him here alone. Wouldn't it be easier to just let him go now? Could she truly say she loved him if she allowed him to hold on to her, only to watch her die a little more each day? To see her grow old and wrinkly, while he stayed young and fit.
Worst still, was it really fair to tie him down like that when his people needed him more?
Yes, thanks to Tak, Gaz was aware of Zim's true destiny, how could she deny them that? How could she deny the Universe their freedom from Irken rule after years of persecution just so she could have him all to herself? It was selfish to even think in such a way, and it made her feel sick that she was even tempted by the thought. Like her own needs mattered more than the needs of the masses as a whole.
No, thinking like that only made her as bad as the Tallest!
She had to let Zim go, it was for the best.
"What was I even thinking?" She asked out loud. "How could I have been stupid enough to think we had a chance?" She scratched her shoulder again and watched as a tear drop fell on her sketch of the City of Zec. She found the world around her so beautiful, she felt so guilty to find it this way; she should hate the sight of Irken progress. However, seeing it allowed her to connect with a side of Zim she never knew.
Tak said Zec was modeled after many major Irken cities on Irk, to know that this was the kind of super hi-tech world that Zim grew up with. It helped her understand why he appeared so stupid when he first came here. He wasn't really stupid, he just didn't know, humans were too prehistoric for him to relate to. They were too primitive, heck even Albert Einstein was too smart to do simple things, like tie his own shoes.
Still she shouldn't be captivated by this place, it was wrong. Gaz balled up the piece of paper and threw it into the waste disposal, before glancing out her window, down at her own hometown.
She wonder where her beloved was, and if Dib was with him.
Were they getting along?
Were they getting enough to eat?
She hoped so, she really hoped they were okay, after all they were all she had left in this world.
And soon even Zim would leave her, leaving only Dib by her side; it was after all for the best.
Still she wasn't really sure she could say goodbye.
(Somewhere deep in the vast of Space…)
This was it...
This was the moment that would redefine them forever, Miz the Irken elder looked over the vast number of troops with a look of bitter distain. They were all of different races, each of them shouldered bitterness for her children, and what they had done to their people. However, what she was about to ask of them now was far greater than bitter rivalry, for she herself felt bitterness towards them; her own children no less. And yet, none of that mattered, no what mattered was returning the cosmos to the balance it had once known 2 centuries ago.
It would not be an easy feat, but she was not looking for easy; no, she was looking for peace.
And as strange as it sounds peace never did come easy.
"I would like to thank you all for coming here today." She said to the troops. "I know this is hard for you, but I ask of this as a friend who has asked for nothing in return for the sanctuary I have provided for you for years."
"We are here for you as well as us." Lard Nar spoke, stepping forward.
"Just tell us what we need to do." Another Vort spoke up, she stood alongside Lard Nar; her pink skin was wrinkled, proving her age, her green eyes narrowed in intensity.
Miz could see the wisdom in those eyes. "We have finally had enough." She said. "It's time we put our children back in their place, but we cannot do it alone."
"You're asking us if we are okay with eliminating your children." The female Vort asked.
"No." Miz said. "I am asking you to find it in your hearts to forgive them, to stand beside me and eliminate those who lead them down that path, as well as those who support them."
"You asked that we spare those who are simply obeying out of fear?" another one of the troops screamed. "Why show them mercy when they have showed us none!"
The troops shouted their agreements.
"And why allow them to live? What's to say they won't go back to their old ways?" The old Vort female asked.
"Because there is a pure soul among them." Miz shouted. "One that is determine to set things right, to bring us back to a simpler time. A time of peace, and tranquility, a time were we all stood to gain from each other. Where we valued each other's strengths and shared the fruits of our labor with one another."
"There is really an Amon alive today who feels this way?" The old Vort female asked.
"Yes," Miz admitted. "His name is Zim, and in a matter of time he will finish the final change, and he will be ready to challenge the Tallest for his place. However,..." Her expression grew dark. "There will be some who do not want to change, some of our children love War, and will not let it go, and we must eliminate them."
"How?" Lard Nar asked.
"We will rage war against every Irken ruled planet in the cosmos, one by one they will fall." Miha stated, cutting in. "Those who resist will be shown no mercy, but those who obey their Ancestors and stand down will be spared."
"And in time they will join us." Razor explained, "Our army will grow, and spread, until we outnumber the few that stand with the Tallest on Earth."
"I know it sounds impossible." Tulu spoke softly, as he noted the looks of doubt in the troop's faces. "But if we do not make a stand now, than one day they will find us here on this rock, and we will be eliminated. We cannot allow this to go on any longer, think of the ones who are still slaving away for the Irken machine." He yelled, louder. "You owe it to them to free them from their chains, it is your duty as a fellow member of their race."
"Yes." Miz agreed. "If you cannot do it for us, then do it for them." She waited for an answer, and for a while she got none.
Finally, the old Vort female stepped forward. "I will fight for us." She said. "We have been a united people since Operation: Impending Doom, we cannot afford to think as separate people now."
"Thank you Eva." Miz said, showing obvious relief.
"The Resisty is behind you as well." Lard Nar agreed, he too steps forward.
And then just like that, one by one all the troops stepped forward, each one declaring their loyalty to the task at hand. However, it would not be an easy task, no this task would be harder than any they had done before.
"Many will die at our hands." Smoots whispered.
"It cannot be helped young one." Tulu hushed her. "Miz is right; peace does not come without war; it is a proven fact. This is the only way."
"I know." Smoots answered quickly, "I just wish-"
"Don't we all?" Razor said, cutting her off.
"It will be alright." Mucoid said, speaking for the first time. "We must believe that."
Smoots nodded, he was right, they could not lose hope now. "Maybe they will drop their weapons at the sight of us."
"Some will." Razor assured her.
"But some will not." Miz said, her tone somewhat defeated.
Smoots nodded; her understanding was clear: This would not be an easy war!
No, it was the war to end all wars...
But would it really end?
'Doesn't war result in more war?' She wondered. 'Could there really be an end to such an endless cycle?' She didn't know for sure, but she knew one thing.
She had to have faith, in them. In Miz, and her other fellow Ancients, in the people she had help protect since they found this rock, and most importantly their future leader Zim.
'One of greatness.' She thought with a smile. 'The brains have named you well.' This much she knew for sure. One day that greatness would bring them peace.
It just had to!
Episode 14-Danger is Lurking END!
Shout-out(s): Again, I give this shout out to Kebarton! Thank you for the creation of Kornelius Newton, and Elma Hathaway. This episode would not be possible without them.
As always I thank you for reading and please review.